


No Pain, No Gain?

by Angelicat2



Series: Sheith Month 2018 [31]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Concerned Keith (Voltron), Concerned Shiro (Voltron), Day 31-hero/pain, Gen, Past Adam/Shiro (Voltron), Season 7 Spoilers, Sheith Month 2018, sheithmonth2018, what if...
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-01
Updated: 2018-08-01
Packaged: 2019-06-19 21:36:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,701
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15519078
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Angelicat2/pseuds/Angelicat2
Summary: Shiro has his own problems, his body being one of them. He never figured Keith would understand how that felt.“I really don't know,” Keith stared at him with tired eyes as he glanced down at the floor where drops of scarlet laid in splatters, “I...ummm...I have something I need to tell you.”“Keith?” Shiro could tell the bleeding was starting to slow, but he wasn't sure if Keith was okay enough. He could have had too much blood loss. Shiro needed to get him to the nurse or look at whatever was causing the bleeding. One thing at a time.“I have a disorder,” Keith frowned as he stared at the wall, “They think it's genetic. I...I can't feel pain.”Shiro was shocked.





	No Pain, No Gain?

**Author's Note:**

> I plan on making more for this fic in a series. There is also a disorder that makes people not feel pain (very very bad for those who don't experience pain...pain is good for your body) but I'm going with this for Keith's human/Galra genetics and how that could have done something to him.

“What’s wrong!” Shiro glanced up from working on one of the hoverbikes, “Tell me what’s going on!”

Shiro blinked. It was Keith. The younger looked angry, beyond what Shiro had ever seen before. His grey, dark purple eyes glared at Shiro as he stalked closer.

“What are you talking about?”

“I know something’s wrong!” Keith shouted as he stood about two feet away from Shiro who turned his full attention to his outburst, “I heard you talking in your office! Stop hiding it! Just tell me what’s wrong! I’m not a kid! I can handle it!”

Shiro frowned at the first bit. How long had Keith been eavesdropping on him in random places? Then Shiro remembered that the young man was so much like he was, he would do it. Shiro had been the same way when he was younger. He couldn’t hold it against the other. Stop hiding it? Stop hiding wha-

It came to him. The Kerberos mission. His disease. The fact that no one really wanted him to go on the mission. The fact that even Adam didn’t want him to go. His choice.

_Don't expect me to be here when you get back._

Shiro sighed. He couldn’t hide this from Keith. He wouldn’t do that any longer. Keith knew and understood him in ways others didn’t. For being only seventeen, Keith had a lot of smarts about these things. Keith knew death more than most within the Garrison walls. He’d understand. And like he said, he wasn’t a kid.

“I have a disease,” Shiro confessed as he turned away from the younger, “And they think I’ll only be at peak performance for a couple years. After that, I’ll no longer be able to go on missions. The others don’t want me to go on the mission. Adam doesn’t want me to go.”

Shiro expected Keith to say that he should listen to the others. That he shouldn’t go. That his scores at the Garrison were already his legacy. That people wanted him on Earth while he was still here. That he was wasting his time on a dream.

He was surprised when he didn’t hear anything right away.

“What are you going to do?” Keith asked slowly, emotions making his voice wobbly, but there was understanding in there somewhere. Shiro didn’t have to think about it very hard. A dream was worth it. It was worth all of this trouble, all the pain, all the hurt. He had chosen the Garrison because he wanted the stars. He only had one option.

“I’m going on the mission,” he stated determinedly as he stared out at the horizon.

“Okay,” Keith moved to his side as he stared out at the same direction, “I’ll be here when you get back, okay?”

“Okay,” Shiro chuckled as he smiled softly, “Thanks, Keith.”

“You helped me first,” Keith shrugged nonchalantly as he glanced at Shiro, “I’m...I’m going to miss you, Old Timer.”

“Hey!” Shiro crossed his arms as he raised a brow, “I’m not gone yet! Still have a little bit! In fact, I know something we can do.”

“Ride?” Keith tilted his head as Shiro laughed. Shiro nodded quickly as he watched Keith race to the nearest bike, which was the one the older man had been working on. Of course. Shiro snickered again before rushing off to another one as Keith gunned the throttle. A few seconds behind, Shiro’s engine roared to life as he burst forward just behind Keith. The boy was getting much better. Keith soared up the rock wall as Shiro got ready for the transition. Racing after him, he watched the wind ruffle the smaller’s hair as he let out a laugh. Making the jump over the gap, Shiro followed Keith who settled down. Rushing over the cliffside, Keith flew downward. Shiro paused his bike in awe at the new skills and control Keith showed as he pushed the bike up just in time.

Shiro smiled as he jumped it himself. He was glad to have this friend by his side.

…..

Shiro was wandering the halls, looking for Keith. It was drawing closer to Kerberos, only a few nights to go. Adam wasn’t coming to the launch. Shiro hadn’t asked him to, already knowing that he wouldn’t be there. Their relationship was over. It hurt deeply, but Shiro knew their dynamic had changed somewhere along the way. They had gone from communicating their every need and want with each other to having a hard time even being in the same room. They had been getting into more and more fights, and Shiro was tired of the way Adam acted like his disease limited him. Like he was some fragile person who needed to be kept in a box until he wasted away from his disease.

He wanted to take Keith to the launch. They only let close family and significant others to the tour, but Shiro had pulled some strings. He had asked for Keith to be allowed there, and after some time and Sam’s help again, Shiro was granted the permission to let his best friend come with.

Rounding the corner, he nearly ran head first, or rather, chest first, into the shorter boy. Holding his left arm out to the boy’s shoulder, he steadied them both. Keith smiled over at him as he blinked a few times.

“Shiro,” Keith smiled brightly as he placed his hand on Shiro’s left elbow, “I was looking for you.”

“I was looking for you too,” Shiro grinned back as he watched the raven-haired teen, “I was going to ask you something.”

“What?” Keith asked curiously as he stared up at the older man who gripped his shoulder a little more.

“I was wondering if you’d like to go to the Kerberos launch,” Shiro questioned as he watched Keith’s reaction closely, “Adam won’t be going, and I don’t have anyone else to take with. But if you don’t want to go with me, I understa-”

“Of course, I will,” Keith looked at him with large, hopeful eyes, “I’d be happy to go. I’ll be there.”

“Thanks, Keith,” Shiro’s gaze softened as he opened his mouth to say something else when he realized his hand felt wet, “What the-”

Shiro pulled his hand back with a small gasp. For a second, he thought his disease had acted up past the point it ever had. For a moment, Shiro was truly worried that he wouldn’t go on the mission because of it.

His hand was covered in red blood. Taking a deep breath in, he stared at Keith's shoulder and felt his stomach drop with worry and fear. The boy's shoulder was covered in the blood, soaking through the orange cadet outfit. It was leaking through at a quick pace.

“Keith,” Shiro's eyes were still wide until he finally glanced around for something to staunch the flow, “What happened?”

“What happened?” He asked, ebony brows crunching down in genuine confusion, “What do you mean?”

“Your shoulder,” Shiro couldn't see a medical kit anywhere nearby, “It's bleeding way too much, buddy.”

“Really?” Keith glanced down at the appendage which was now starting to drip blood onto the floor, “Oh...hm…”

“I'd ask what you mean by that but let's get the bleeding to stop,” Shiro muttered as he shrugged off his own grey jacket, pressing it tightly on the area, “How did this happen?”

“I don't know,” Keith stared at the wound without any facial change whatsoever even though Shiro was pressing hard enough that it should burn.

“ _Keith,_ ” He grounded out a little more sternly as he put more pressure on the boy's arm even though his own muscles began to scream in pain. He shouldn't be overworking them. but he couldn't care at that moment.

“I really don't know,” Keith stared at him with tired eyes as he glanced down at the floor where drops of scarlet laid in splatters, “I...ummm...I have something I need to tell you.”

“Keith?” Shiro could tell the bleeding was starting to slow, but he wasn't sure if Keith was okay enough. He could have had too much blood loss. Shiro needed to get him to the nurse or look at whatever was causing the bleeding. One thing at a time.

“I have a disorder,” Keith frowned as he stared at the wall, “They think it's genetic. I...I can't feel pain.”

Shiro was shocked.

“Usually I just keep an extra good eye on it,” Keith confessed as he moved his eyes to the side, “But sometimes I miss it.”

“This...doesn't hurt at all?” Shiro asked curiously as he continued with what he'd been doing. His arms hurt, but he ignored it.

“No,” Keith shook his head as he gazed up at Shiro who frowned in concern, “I feel nothing. I'm a little tired, but that's it.”

“Hm…” Shiro frowned as he started to lead the other man to a nearby bench, “Why didn't you say anything?”

“You had enough issues,” Keith watched him intently, “I couldn't worry you with this.”

Which was exactly what Shiro had been doing before he told Keith about his disease. Shoot.

“Before that?”

“I didn't trust you like I do now,” he looked at his arm which was covered in the jacket starting to show a few patches of blood, “And that's why I'm telling you. You're not alone. I mean, yours is worse because of reasons but-"

“That's...I get it,” Shiro chuckled as he shook his head, “You really are a hero.”

“Me?”

“Yeah,” Shiro nodded as he loosened his grip, “You can't feel any pain and yet, you're at the Garrison. I knew you could do it.”

“Well,” Keith stared at him, “You feel pain all the time and you're here. Maybe we're both heroes.”

“Maybe we are,” Shiro laughed as Keith let out a small snicker, “Now let's get you to the nurse.”

“ _Shiro._ ”

“ _Keith._ ”

“Fine,” Keith huffed before smiling, “Beat you there.”

Keith started off down the hallway. Shiro groaned as his body complained, straining itself. But Shiro couldn't regret it. Not with Keith. Never with Keith.

“You're gonna be the death of me!” He shouted as he raced after Keith.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you, Keith, for letting Shiro be the young man he is and not some stiff old man (despite the nickname XD XD XD)
> 
> End of Sheith Month, but not the end of my fics. I have a few series planned to happen sometime.


End file.
